A home appraisal is one of the most important parts of the home-selling process. It’s when a professional and licensed appraiser inspects your home, the surrounding area, and other factors to determine how much it’s worth at the current market value. 

This lets you know what to price the home at, and it’s necessary for potential buyers to get loans. 

If you’re new to the process, it can feel overwhelming. Here’s a simple, step-by-step explanation of how to get a home appraisal. 

1. Start with a Free Tool

At Sunny Gawri Real Estate, we offer a free appraisal tool that’s available to everyone. It’s simple to use, accurate, and a major help. 

This gives you a general idea of your home’s worth. It doesn’t account for some finer details that an in-person appraiser will need for an official estimate, but it’ll be close. 

With this information, you can decide whether it’s a good idea to go further with the sale of the home or if you should hold off until the market changes. It saves time later. 

2. Search for an Appraiser

There are lots of appraisers available, but you don’t want to simply pick the first one you find online. 

Research several local appraisers and see who has the best reputation. We recommend looking at online reviews, the appraiser’s portfolio if there’s one available, all documentation of relevant licensing, and even calling the appraiser to ask about their service. You want to know that they’re a good fit for you. 

This is one of the biggest transactions of your life, and you want to make sure your appraiser is providing accurate, reliable information. A bad appraisal can cost you a lot of money. 

3. Commit and Schedule

Once you’ve found an appraiser you trust with this life-changing decision, it’s time to commit and schedule your appointment. Typically, this will take a couple of days. Appraisers are very involved in the local real estate market, and they’re usually appraising multiple homes per day. 

Also, make sure you schedule the appointment for a day you know you’ll be home, and give yourself a couple of days to prepare your home for the appraisal. 

4. Prepare Your Home for the Appraisal

You want your home to look as good as it possibly can while the appraiser is there. You’ll likely be living in the home, but you can’t afford to have it cluttered, and you certainly don’t want to cover or undermine value-adding features.

The appraiser will look at even the finest details. So, make your home shine. 

A little work, decluttering, and cleaning for a day or two can add a lot to your home appraisal value. 

5. The Wait

Unfortunately, you don’t get to see any results for at least a week or two. How long a home appraisal takes overall depends on many factors. 

During the appraisal, the appraiser will take notes and record data, but determining a home’s value is a very complex process. 

The appraiser will take their data back to their office, perform all necessary research, and contact you with an official home value in a week to two weeks. 

Sell Your Home with Sunny Gawri Real Estate

At Sunny Gawri Real Estate, we can help you sell or buy a home from start to finish. 

If you have any concerns about an appraisal or anything else, contact us and book your consultation today!